The present invention relates generally to display and storage devices, and more particularly, is directed to a jewelry case for storing and displaying jewelry items.
It is known to provide jewelry cases with spring hinges which cause automatic closing of the case when the cover is partially closed to a certain extent. However, the hinges are arranged so that the pivot axis is fixed at all times during the closing and opening operations. In the majority of the cases, the hinges are provided to the outside of the case, that is, the hinges are visible from the outside, which detracts from the aesthetics of the case.
In other cases, a C-clip spring hinge is provided to the inside of the case. However, such C-clip spring hinges have only been used with plastic cases that have thin walls, with the inner surfaces of the thin walls cut away to hold the ends of the C-clip spring. It is not possible, however, to use thin walls made of wood that could be cut away to hold the C-clip spring, since the wood will fail over time. If the thickness of the wood walls were increased in order to hold the C-clip spring, then the outer surfaces of the rear walls of the upper and lower halves would have to be cut away, or spaced from each other, to enable pivoting of the two halves along the fixed pivot axis. Such cut-away portions must even be provided for a thin wall to enable pivoting around a fixed pivot axis. This, however, detracts from the appearance of the case. The same results would apply with walls made of plastic, metal, etc. Also, a groove is provided on the upper surface of the rear wall of one half and a lip is provided on the upper surface of the rear wall of the other half for engagement within the groove. This ensures that there is no sliding movement between the halves so that the two halves pivot relative to each other about a fixed pivot axis.
Accordingly, it is an object of the present invention to provide a jewelry case that overcomes the problems with the aforementioned prior art.
It is another object of the present invention to provide a jewelry case in which the hinge is not visible from the exterior of the case.
It is still another object of the present invention to provide such a jewelry case in which the pivot axis of the hinge moves linearly during the opening and closing of the case.
It is yet another object of the present invention to provide a jewelry case in which the hinge also functions to move the rear pivoting edge of the top cover inwardly during a closing operation so as to provide a sliding action as well as a pivoting or rolling action.
It is a further object of the present invention to provide a jewelry case having a hinge that functions to automatically force the top cover into an open position during an opening operation and into a closed position during a closing operation after the top cover has pivoted to a predetermined angle relative to the base.
In accordance with an aspect of the present invention, a case includes a base including a bottom wall and a peripheral side wall connected to the bottom wall; a top cover including a top wall and a peripheral side wall connected to the top wall such that a cavity is defined between the top wall and the peripheral side wall of the top cover and the bottom wall and the peripheral side wall of the base when the case is in a closed condition; and a spring hinge which is not visible from an exterior of the case when the case is closed and which connects together the base and the top cover in such a manner so as to provide a combined pivoting movement and sliding movement of a rear edge of one of the top cover and the base on the other of the top cover and the base during opening and closing of the case.
The spring hinge includes a first retainer connected with said one of the top cover and the base; a second retainer connected with the other of the top cover and the base; and a C-clip having a first end connected with the first retainer and a second end connected with the second retainer.
The first retainer is integrally formed as a one-piece structure with said one of the top cover and the base, and the second retainer is integrally formed as a one-piece structure with the other of the top cover and the base.
The first retainer has a first height and the second retainer has a second height, with the second height being less than the first height. Accordingly, the rear edge of said one of the top cover and the base moves forwardly in the sliding movement on the other of the top cover and the base during opening of the case and moves rearwardly in the sliding movement on the other of the top cover and the base during closing of the case.
The first retainer has a first thickness at a position where the C-clip attaches thereto and the second retainer has a second thickness at a portion where the C-clip attaches thereto, the second thickness being greater than the first thickness, so that said one of the top cover and base slides and pivots on the other of the top cover and the base.
In another embodiment, the first retainer has a first height and the second retainer has a second height, with the first and second heights being substantially equal.
The peripheral side wall of the top cover includes a lower exposed surface and a rear portion with a first slot extending in the rear portion through the lower exposed surface. In like manner, the peripheral side wall of the base includes an upper exposed surface and a rear portion with a second slot extending in the rear portion through the upper exposed surface. The first retainer is mounted in one of the first and second slots, and the second retainer is mounted in the other of the first and second slots. The second retainer includes at least one stop that extends above the upper surface of the other of the top cover and the base for limiting forward sliding movement of said one of the top cover and the base on the other of the top cover and the base during opening of the case. In like manner, the first retainer includes an extending section that extends beyond the exposed surface of said one of the top cover and the base, and the extending section extends into the second slot in the other of the top cover and the base when the case is closed and the at least one stop extends into the first slot in said one of the top cover and the base when the case is closed.
In addition, the rear portion of the top cover includes an opening in an inner surface thereof which provides communication between the cavity and the respective one of the first and second slots, and the base includes an opening in an inner surface thereof which provides communication between the cavity and the other one of the first and second slots.
The retainer includes a central section and first and second end sections connected at opposite ends of the central section, the central section of the first retainer has a first height and the central section of the second retainer has a second height, with the first and second heights being different and the C-clip being connected between the central sections of the first and second retainers such that the rear edge of said one of the top cover and the base connected with the retainer having a greater height moves forwardly in the sliding movement on the other of the top cover and the base during opening of the case and moves rearwardly in the sliding movement on the base during closing of the case.
In another embodiment, each retainer includes a central section and first and second end sections connected at opposite ends of said central section, the central section of the first retainer has a first height and the central section of the second retainer has a second height, with the first and second heights being substantially equal and the C-clip being connected between the central sections of the first and second retainers.
Preferably, the C-clip has an arcuate shape with inturned ends for engaging the first and second retainers.
Preferably, the first retainer is connected with the top cover and the second retainer is connected with the base. In such case, the first retainer has a first height and a first thickness at a position where the C-clip attaches thereto, the second retainer has a second height and a second thickness at a portion where the C-clip attaches thereto, and at least one of the following conditions exists so that the top cover pivots and slides on the base during opening and closing operations of the case: the second height is less than said first height, and/or the second thickness is greater than the first thickness.
The above and other objects, features and advantages of the invention will become readily apparent from the following detailed description thereof which is to be read in connection with the accompanying drawings.